Individuals with eating disorders (EDs) often have difficulty tolerating uncomfortable body sensations. As such, anxiety sensitivity specific to gastrointestinal (GI) sensations, has relevance for EDs. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/cq31.html However, to date, no validated measures of this construct exist in EDs. Thus, the present study sought to validate the visceral sensitivity index (VSI), a 15-item measure originally validated in an irritable bowel syndrome sample, in an ED sample and explore associations with ED symptoms.
Two hundred and sixty-six adolescents (n=116) and adults (n=150) in an ED partial hospital program completed the VSI and related measures at admission. Confirmatory factor analysis examined the factor structure of the VSI and hierarchical regression analyses explored associations between the VSI and ED symptoms.
The original version of the VSI had adequate model fit. An alternative 13-item model removing specific items with poor fit and less theoretical relevance to EDs also demonstrated good fit. The 15-item and 13-item VSI had strong internal consistency (α=.93-.94), and correlation results supported the convergent and divergent validity of both versions. Higher visceral sensitivity was associated with elevated body dissatisfaction, cognitive restraint, purging, restricting, and excessive exercise (p-values &lt;.05), beyond length of illness, body mass index, and trait anxiety.
Results support the relevance of GI-specific anxiety in EDs and suggest that the original 15-item VSI and modified 13-item VSI have strong psychometric properties in an ED sample. Given comparable model fit and psychometric properties, both versions of the VSI may be used for future ED research.
Results support the relevance of GI-specific anxiety in EDs and suggest that the original 15-item VSI and modified 13-item VSI have strong psychometric properties in an ED sample. Given comparable model fit and psychometric properties, both versions of the VSI may be used for future ED research.Emerging evidence has underscored the potential usefulness of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) measurement in predicting the mortality and disease severity of COVID-19. This study aimed to assess the association of the plasma RDW levels with adverse prognosis in COVID-19 patients. A comprehensive literature search from inception to September 2020 was performed to harvest original studies reporting RDW on admission and clinical outcomes among patients hospitalized with COVID-19. RDW levels were compared between cases (patients who died or developed more severe symptoms) and controls (patients who survived or developed less severe symptoms). A total of 14,866 subjects from 10 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Higher levels of RDW were associated with adverse outcomes in COVID-19 patients (mean differences?=?0.72; 95% CI?=?0.47-0.97; I2 ?=?89.51%). Deceased patients had higher levels of RDW compared to patients who survived (mean differences?=?0.93; 95% CI?=?0.63-1.23; I2 ?=?85.58%). Severely ill COVID-19 patients showed higher levels of RDW, as opposed to patients classified to have milder symptoms (mean differences?=?0.61; 95% CI?=?0.28-0.94; I2 ?=?82.18%). Elevated RDW levels were associated with adverse outcomes in COVID-19 patients. This finding warrants further research on whether RDW could be utilized as a simple and reliable biomarker for predicting COVID-19 severity and whether RDW is mechanistically linked with COVID-19 pathophysiology.Schistosomiasis affects nearly 250 million individuals in the world. Hepatosplenic schistosomiasis (HSS) results in periportal fibrosis (PPF) and portal hypertension (pHTN). Ultrasound has been extensively used for the diagnosis of Schistosoma-related PPF and a number of staging methods have been validated for this purpose such as Strickland classification and Niamey protocol. Nevertheless, the application of noninvasive techniques, particularly elastography modalities, has not been well explored. In this review, we describe the various noninvasive diagnostic tools for assessment of Schistosoma-related PPF including US parameters, serum biomarkers, and US-based elastography techniques. While elastography techniques have demonstrated value in the evaluation of HSS, the evidence remains limited with most studies recruiting a small number of patients. Longitudinal studies with larger sample size are required in order to devise robust criteria to accurately assess the performance of noninvasive techniques in the prediction of both regression and progression of the degree of PPF and identify their cost-effectiveness in community screening.Anaplerotic odd-chain fatty acid supplementation has been suggested as an approach to replenish citric acid cycle intermediate (CACi) pools and facilitate adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in subjects with long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders, but the evidence that cellular CACi depletion exists and that repletion occurs following anaplerotic substrate supplementation is limited. We exercised very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase-deficient (VLCAD-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice to exhaustion and collected cardiac tissue for measurement of CACi by targeted metabolomics. In a second experimental group, VLCAD-/- and WT mice that had been fed chow prepared with either medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil or triheptanoin for 4?weeks were exercised for 60?minutes. VLCAD-/- mice exhibited lower succinate in cardiac muscle at exhaustion than WT mice suggesting lower CACi in VLCAD-/- with prolonged exercise. In mice fed either MCT or triheptanoin, succinate and malate were greater in VLCAD-/- mice fed triheptanoin compared to VLCAD-/- animals fed MCT but lower than WT mice fed triheptanoin. Long-chain odd acylcarnitines such as C19 were elevated in VLCAD-/- and WT mice fed triheptanoin suggesting some elongation of the heptanoate, but it is unknown what proportion of heptanoate was oxidized vs elongated. Prolonged exercise was associated with decreased cardiac muscle succinate in VLCAD-/- mice in comparison to WT mice. VLCAD-/- fed triheptanoin had increased succinate compared to VLCAD-/- mice fed MCT but lower than WT mice fed triheptanoin. Cardiac CACi were higher following dietary ingestion of an anaplerotic substrate, triheptanoin, in comparison to MCT.